Our Story

Pennsylvania United is a grassroots organization that empowers working-class families in Western PA through member-led chapters. We reject attempts to divide us based on what we look like or what part of the Commonwealth we call home, and we hold all political leaders accountable to meet the needs of communities of color and white working-class families in rural and urban areas. Together, we strive towards a future where rebuilding progressive organizing infrastructure, fostering long-term relationships and a multi-racial working-class movement powers statewide change.

We believe that to build a sustainable, multi-racial, multi-generational poor and working peoples movement across Pennsylvania, we must:

Unite communities of color and white working-class families across rural and urban areas against those who profit off our struggles
Grow the leadership of regular people in our communities to bring thousands of people into our movement and take full ownership of our work
Rebuild community organizing infrastructure by expanding training and leadership development programs

Statewide:

We ran the largest volunteer deep canvass program in the country in 2020 to unelect Trump, calling over 1 million voters throughout Pennsylvania. Our volunteers overcame apathy and hopelessness to have powerful conversations about the issues that mattered most to them and how their lives could change if we avoided a second Trump term.
We called over 250,000 voters in the 2022 midterms to expand the electorate and elect Josh Shapiro as our Governor and flip the State House to Democratic control to protect abortion rights, workers, and election integrity.
Recruited, ran, and elected over 20 of our own members to local offices across the commonwealth.

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County:

Built the local and regional power necessary to regain broad control over the levers of power in our city, region, and economy by helping elect Congresswoman Summer Lee and County Executive Sarah Innamorato.
Our Clean Rivers Campaign shifted the dialogue around the region’s sewer problem and led to a “green-first, green-preferred” plan for the region’s largest-ever public works program. It has won more than $100 million of green investment.
Our Worker Organizing table passed Paid Sick Days legislation for over 40,000 workers, helped UPMC workers win $15/hour, security guards and adjuncts win union representation, and expanded high road bargaining at Giant Eagle. In 2021, the we successfully expanded Paid Sick Days to Allegheny County.
Won $125 million for Whole Home Repairs and increased funding for the Housing Opportunity Fund.
In a legal settlement with Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA), we fought to include low-income customer assistance programs, a moratorium on shutoffs, free full lead line replacement, plumbing and sewer line repair, and greening greywater disposal for flood control.
Challenged UPMC’s non-profit, tax-exempt status, and Mayor Ed Gainey opened up an investigation into their non-profit status.
Worked with community members to pause water shutoffs in Wilkinsburg.

Beaver County:

Passed an ordinance requiring the county to remove questions about criminal history from county job applications.
Organized Valley Terrace tenants who had been displaced from their homes due to a prolonged power outage due to mismanagement.
Organized tenants of Towne Towers to demand safe, sanitary, and accessible housing. In 2024, residents won a new, operating elevator!
Elected Mary Jane Jones-Gilliam to Ambridge City Council in 2021.
Worked with families affected by local gun violence to organize a week-long rally to bring attention to youth violence in 2023.
Members went into our local middle and high schools to give resources about finding jobs, grants for higher education, and trade school options. By providing these resources, youth are able to find their next move after high school, deterring them from violence.

Crawford County:

Over two election cycles, we elected a majority to Meadville City Council, allowing us to pass transformative legislation for renters such as a rental inspection program to ensure safe housing, and passed an anti-retaliation ordinance that protects renters when they speak up for their rights.
Created a public ambulance service to protect the health and safety of Meadville residents from price gouging by private ambulance companies.
Meadville formed an environmental advisory committee.

Centre County:

Passed a Tenants’ Bill of Rights for State College Borough to ensure renters know their rights and promote housing equity.
After years of community organizing to get outdoor recreation at the county prison, we successfully pushed the Centre County Prison Board to pass an RFQ, which begins the process of ensuring incarcerated people have access to outdoor space.
Elected Central PA United member-leaders Gopal Balachandran, Divine Lipscomb, and Richard Biever to State College Borough Council in 2021, and elected Matt Herndon to State College Borough Council in 2023.

Erie County:

Divested $1 million from City of Erie Police and reallocated that money to local Rodger Young Park.
Passed a Ceasefire Resolution to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Elected members Dr. Leatra Tate and Lauren Gillespie to Erie School Board in 2021.
Elected member Jasmine Flores to Erie City Council in 2021, and she then went on as the first Latina Erie City Council President.

Westmoreland County:

After years of pressuring the County Commissioners, $3 million of American Rescue Plan funds were assigned to mental health programs, services for homeless residents, and job training efforts.
Held vaccine drives during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lack of access in Westmoreland County.
In 2023, members, Shannon Santucci and Aaron Moore, won their elections in Arnold. Shannon Santucci was sworn in as mayor, and Aaron Moore was sworn in as the first Black man on Arnold City Council!

Pennsylvania United believes that we can achieve more by coming together, whether that’s in our individual communities or across Western PA.

Our members and staff are ready to go all in to win issue campaigns, win elections, and build power for working-class people all over Pennsylvania. Join Us.

Our Story

We believe that to build a sustainable, multi-racial, multi-generational poor and working peoples movement across Pennsylvania, we must:

Unite communities of color and white working-class families across rural and urban areas against those who profit off our struggles

Grow the leadership of regular people in our communities to bring thousands of people into our movement and take full ownership of our work

Rebuild community organizing infrastructure by expanding training and leadership development programs

Statewide:

We called over 250,000 voters in the 2022 midterms to expand the electorate and elect Josh Shapiro as our Governor and flip the State House to Democratic control to protect abortion rights, workers, and election integrity.

Recruited, ran, and elected over 20 of our own members to local offices across the commonwealth.

Pittsburgh and Allegheny County:

Built the local and regional power necessary to regain broad control over the levers of power in our city, region, and economy by helping elect Congresswoman Summer Lee and County Executive Sarah Innamorato.

Our Clean Rivers Campaign shifted the dialogue around the region’s sewer problem and led to a “green-first, green-preferred” plan for the region’s largest-ever public works program. It has won more than $100 million of green investment.

Our Worker Organizing table passed Paid Sick Days legislation for over 40,000 workers, helped UPMC workers win $15/hour, security guards and adjuncts win union representation, and expanded high road bargaining at Giant Eagle. In 2021, the we successfully expanded Paid Sick Days to Allegheny County.

Won $125 million for Whole Home Repairs and increased funding for the Housing Opportunity Fund.

In a legal settlement with Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA), we fought to include low-income customer assistance programs, a moratorium on shutoffs, free full lead line replacement, plumbing and sewer line repair, and greening greywater disposal for flood control.

Challenged UPMC’s non-profit, tax-exempt status, and Mayor Ed Gainey opened up an investigation into their non-profit status.

Worked with community members to pause water shutoffs in Wilkinsburg.

Beaver County:

Passed an ordinance requiring the county to remove questions about criminal history from county job applications.

Organized Valley Terrace tenants who had been displaced from their homes due to a prolonged power outage due to mismanagement.

Organized tenants of Towne Towers to demand safe, sanitary, and accessible housing. In 2024, residents won a new, operating elevator!

Elected Mary Jane Jones-Gilliam to Ambridge City Council in 2021.

Worked with families affected by local gun violence to organize a week-long rally to bring attention to youth violence in 2023.

Members went into our local middle and high schools to give resources about finding jobs, grants for higher education, and trade school options. By providing these resources, youth are able to find their next move after high school, deterring them from violence.

Crawford County:

Over two election cycles, we elected a majority to Meadville City Council, allowing us to pass transformative legislation for renters such as a rental inspection program to ensure safe housing, and passed an anti-retaliation ordinance that protects renters when they speak up for their rights.

Created a public ambulance service to protect the health and safety of Meadville residents from price gouging by private ambulance companies.

Meadville formed an environmental advisory committee.

Centre County:

Passed a Tenants’ Bill of Rights for State College Borough to ensure renters know their rights and promote housing equity.

After years of community organizing to get outdoor recreation at the county prison, we successfully pushed the Centre County Prison Board to pass an RFQ, which begins the process of ensuring incarcerated people have access to outdoor space.

Elected Central PA United member-leaders Gopal Balachandran, Divine Lipscomb, and Richard Biever to State College Borough Council in 2021, and elected Matt Herndon to State College Borough Council in 2023.

Erie County:

Divested $1 million from City of Erie Police and reallocated that money to local Rodger Young Park.

Passed a Ceasefire Resolution to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Elected members Dr. Leatra Tate and Lauren Gillespie to Erie School Board in 2021.

Elected member Jasmine Flores to Erie City Council in 2021, and she then went on as the first Latina Erie City Council President.

Westmoreland County:

After years of pressuring the County Commissioners, $3 million of American Rescue Plan funds were assigned to mental health programs, services for homeless residents, and job training efforts.

Held vaccine drives during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lack of access in Westmoreland County.

In 2023, members, Shannon Santucci and Aaron Moore, won their elections in Arnold. Shannon Santucci was sworn in as mayor, and Aaron Moore was sworn in as the first Black man on Arnold City Council!

Pennsylvania United believes that we can achieve more by coming together, whether that’s in our individual communities or across Western PA. Our members and staff are ready to go all in to win issue campaigns, win elections, and build power for working-class people all over Pennsylvania. Join Us.